Compensation
by Small Chemist
Summary: Edit: Reviewers, I wholeheartedly agree with you. This will be heavily edited and reposted in due time. For now, Compensation is simply an idea I will be playing with. The doctors told Edward he had a year to live. Animeverse, Alter Ending.


**Compensation **

The doctors told Edward he had a year to live. His mother's disease had apparently passed down to him, and there was no cure for the virus. Alphonse wasn't capable of crying, so Edward didn't cry either. Winry, however, cried enough for the both of them.

When Edward was released from the hospital, he was told not to strain himself, and eat right while scientists frantically developed new ways to keep the illness at bay. Edward ignored them. Alphonse went to tell Colonel Mustang about Ed's prognosis without his brother's permission.

Edward later cried when Mustang offered to perform a dangerous array on Edward's body that may remove the virus from his cells. Edward refused the procedure saying he only had a year left to bring his brother's body back, and the risk of dying was great enough already. Mustang left without another word.

Nine months later, Edward had forged a philosopher's stone and was negotiating a trade with the gate for Alphonse's body—one that would be Al's correct mental and physical age. The gates refused, and Edward landed back on Earth with a much younger Alphonse. Al didn't care about his appearance, however. Just sobbed openly and hard into Edward's chest as his brother stroked his hair.

Eleven months and Alphonse was beginning to walk again. His muscles had been like a baby's—new and unused, completely weak. He never left his brother's side.

It was once year later when Mustang staggered back into their lives with a mad look in his eyes and a promise he wasn't going to give Edward up so easily. He had lost Hughes and he had gained Edward, and he was going to remind the Gate that. Edward stared, and listed to Mustang ramble aimlessly until dawn. Alphonse had cried quietly throughout most of the conversation.

When Edward was too ill to leave his bed, Mustang had practically moved in with the two boys, and drew arrays all over their home. Alphonse got himself tested for genetic illnesses, and was negative. He was neither happy nor sad.

Edward died the following day, with Mustang and Alphonse each gripping steadily to his human hand. His death however, combined with Mustang's arrays triggered the opening of the Gate. Mustang stood stoically and had a conversation with the gate. It went like this:

"What do you seek to exchange?"

"I seek to be repaid for what you took from me not so long ago. I come for compensation of Maes' life."

"You do not have that power."

"Then Equivalent Exchange means nothing."

"Equivalent Exchange is Law."

"Then I demand Edward's life in exchange for Maes' death."

"You have already gained from Maes Hughes loss."

"I have gained nothing."

"You cannot have this boy's life."

"I return to you any exchange I had received from Hughes death."

The gate paused momentarily.

"The boy shall be well." It stated before the dark children laughed eerily, pushing Edward's body out of its depths into Roy's arms. There was a flash of light and Roy awoke with a start, staring intently at Edward's crooked smile.

"I'm back." Edward said thickly, and, this time, everyone cried.

The following weeks Edward noticed a distinct lack of caring in Mustang. The man had become robotic, unfeeling, purposeless. Edward didn't know what to do about it. Alphonse didn't tell his brother about the transmutation.

Mustang had become Roy to the boys and though he hadn't lost much of his personality, he was difficult to communicate with. He was cocky, he was quick, he was stubborn; everything he always was, but what he lacked, Edward had a hard time naming.

Roy had come over for dinner one night when Ed finally discovered it.

"Passion!" Ed had shouted, pointing a finger at Mustang as if he had discovered the 8th wonder. "You don't care about things! You have no zeal, craze, obsessions anymore!" Alphonse dropped his fork and crawled under the table to retrieve it, not coming up for air anytime soon. Roy calmly put his fork down and stared at Edward with concern.

"Is this a problem?" He asked. Edward glowered. "Yes, it is! If you don't care about anything doesn't life get boring? What happened to the determination you had, huh?" Roy leaned back in his chair, and folded his arms, thinking.

"I had this?" He finally asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. Edward's jaw dropped. Alphonse sat back in his chair, and faked taking another bite, only to send his fork crashing to the floor once more. He made to retrieve it, but Edward held out an arm, growling, "Alphonse…" Al swallowed.

"Nii-san, there wasn't anything else we could do about it. The gate wanted compensation, and…"

"WHEN DID YOU SEE THE GATE?" Edward shouted, rounding on his brother in a flash.

"When you were ill, Nii-san…" Alphonse started, but cut himself off. Edward was breathing heavily, and staring wide eyed at the both of them.

"You…you had to see the gate to save me?" He finally managed to sputter out. Al nodded. Edward slumped back into his chair. "I thought…our journey was compensation enough, Al…it really wanted more…" Ed watched Roy who was looking away almost embarrassed.

"Hughes's death gave me purpose, Edward." Roy finally admitted. "I suppose I don't feel the drive to accomplish things anymore, but that doesn't mean I have such a rotten life, does it?" He gave a sad smirk. "I still enjoy things, albeit a little less than most people, but life is not so different." Roy added, and Edward looked more determined than ever.

"That's complete bull." Edward said, and Roy looked at him curiously. "The Gate can't take away something like determination. You," He said, pointing at Mustang, "are going to start setting goals for yourself, and I am going to help you get to them so well that you'll become determined even if it's just to get away from me." Edward said with a sadistic grin. Alphonse chocked on a pea, and coughed for a moment.

"Nii-san, do you think that will really work?" Alphonse asked with a concerned look. Edward smirked.

"I'm the goddamn Fullmetal Alchemist and I'll make it work, Al."

A week passed by in which Edward set the most tedious goals for Roy, the older man had ever seen. Roy had to actually finish his paperwork before being allowed to go home, clean Edward's apartment if he ever wanted free dinner from the boy again, and walk Hawkeye's dog in exchange for morning coffee. Roy, however, did find himself feeling more exhaustion than he ever believed possible. Alphonse checked on him hourly, asking if he was determined to kill Edward yet, but Roy found the question rather odd, thinking only that Edward was trying to help him. Alphonse left with a sigh.

It was almost a month later when Roy had had enough, and decided to tell Edward to call it quits. But Edward only laughed, and declared his brilliance.

"Obviously my work has paid off and in compensation for your hard work, you are now determined to stop my pestering methods, eh?" Edward said with a grin. Roy chuckled lowly and felt some spark of life come back to him then.

"Of course, Edward. Of course."


End file.
